Steam and hot-air flue-cleaner.



No. 679,756. Patented Aug. 6, I90l. W. B. KENNEDY &. H; T. HDOPES.

STEAM AND HOT AIR FLUE CLEANER. (Application flled- May 23, 1901.)

(No Model.

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NITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

NEW BRIGHTON,

PENNSYLVANIA.

'STEAM AND HOT-AIR FLUE-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,756, dated August6, 1901.

Serial No. 61,588. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM BONBRIGHT KENNEDY and HENRY TOWNSENDHOOPES, citizens of the United States, residing at New Brighton, in thecounty of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Steam and Hot- Air Flue-Cleaners, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of boiler tube or flue cleaners bywhich scale, dirt, &c., are removed from the tube by the action of aforcible jet of steam and air, with which sand or other material mayalso be employed when desired.

The object of the invention is to improve the structure of devices ofthis character, and the invention will be fully described hereinafter,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 isa side elevation of our improved tube-cleaner. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection, and Fig. 3 is an end view.

In carrying out our invention we employ two coniform shells A and B, thelatter being smaller and shorter than the former and supported withinit. In the space between the shells are a plurality of spiral webs b,and preferably these webs will be rigidly connected to the shell B andbe of such width that their outer edges will bear against the interiorsurface of the shell A when the larger ends of the two shells are in thesame plane, and the webs thus support the shell B within the shellAconcentric therewith. Obviously, however, the webs b might be rigidlycon nected to the shell A and frictionally engage the outer surface ofthe shell B with the same The shell A is provided with a series ofradial ribs won its outer surface, extending longitudinally thereof, andthese ribs engage the end of the flue when the device is in use andprotect the shell from being worn by contact with the flue.

Some means must be employed to'maintain the two shells in properrelation to each other, and preferably for this purpose we employ aspider 0, having a series of arms 0 radiating from the central hub 10.,The ends of the ribs a are tapped to receive screws as, which passthrough the ends of the arms 0 and serve to securely hold the spider inposition against the larger ends of the tubes A and B, and the partswill be so proportioned that when the spider is secured in place theedges of the webs b will bear against the inner surface of the shell Awith sufficient pressure to frictionally hold the shell B in position.The hub 10 is hollow and projects beyond the arms 0 into the shell B toform a steam-jet nozzle 12, and it also projects beyond the arms 0outwardly to form a neck 13, which is threaded in order that asteam-supply pipe may be coupled to it.

The device so far as described will operate as follows: Steam beingadmitted to the neck 13 will pass through the jet-nozzle 12 and throughthe smaller ends of the shells A and B into the flue to be cleaned. Thesteam will create a partial vacuum in the two shells, and air will bedrawn in through the larger end of the tube B and also through thespiral passages 11, formed by the outer surface of the shell B, theinner surface of the shell A, and the spiral webs b, and the air passingthrough these'passages will assume a whirling movement,which willbeimparted to the mixed current of air and steam issuing from the smallend of shell B, when the two currents become mixed in the small endportion of the shell A beyond the shell B, and the mixed currents willpass into the flue from the end of the shell A with a whirling motion,which will greatly aid in loosening the scale, dirt, &c., from the tube.

Sometimes it is necessary to inject sand or other material into the tubewith the current i of air and steam, and in order that this may be donewe preferably employ a flattened funnel-shaped box D, which may bedetachably connected to the flue-cleaner in any desired manner. Thelower end of the box D will preferably have a long narrowdischargeopening (1 in order that the material may fall in the form of athin sheet or film in front of the outer end of the cleaner, and theinduced currents of air as they enter the passages 11 and the shell Bwill carry the sand or other material along, and obviously the sand orother material will also acquire a whirling motion as it passes throughthe spiral passages 11 and will thus scour or abrade all parts of theinner surface of the tube. A convenient means for detachably connectingthe box D to the cleaner is shown and consists of a short bar 16,secured to the cleaner by one of the screws 00, over which a loop 17,secured to the box D, fits.

While the device illustrated and described is specially intended as aflue-cleaner, its use is not restricted to such purpose. On thecontrary, the device might be employed for other purposes-as, forexample, an injectorburner-for it is obvious that if gas be introducedunder pressure instead of steam a whirling current of air will beinduced through the passages 11 and there would be a perfect mixture ofgas and air issuing from the small end of the shell A.

Without limiting ourselves to the precise details of constructionillustrated and described, we claim 1. The combination of inner andouter concentric oonit'orm shells having a space be tween them, theinner shell being shorter than the outer shell and arranged whollywithin the latter, spirally-twisted webs in the space between theshells, said webs being rigidly connected to one shell and frictionallyengaging the opposing surface of the other, and means to maintain suchfrictional engagement, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination .of inner and outer concentric coniform shells havinga space between them, the inner shell being shorter than the outer,spirally-twisted webs in the space between the shells, said webs beingrigidly connected to one shell and frictionally engaging the opposingsurface of the other, a spider bearing against the larger ends of bothshells, and means for securing said spider to the outer shell,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

,, 3. The combination of inner and outer concentric coniform shellshaving a space between them, the inner shell being shorter than theouter, spirally-twisted webs in the space between the shells, said websbeing rigidly connected to one shell and frictionally engaging theopposing surface of the other shell, a spider having a hollow hub andradiating arms, the latter engaging the larger ends of the two shells,means forsecuring the arms to the outer shell, a steam-jet nozzleprojecting from the hub into the inner shell, and means for connecting asteam-supply pipe to said hub, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of inner and outer concentric coniform shells, havinga series of spiral passages between them open at both ends, means fordischarging a jet of steam into the inner shell, and means fordischarging sand in the form of a thin film or sheet in front of andadjacent to the outer open ends of the spiral passages, substantially asset forth.

5. In a flue-cleaner the combination of inner and outer concentricconiform shells having a series of spiral passages between them open atboth ends, means for discharging a jet of steam into the inner shell, asand-box detachably connected to said cleaner and having an elongatednarrow discharge-opening to discharge the sand in the form of a thinfilm or sheet in front of and adjacent to the outer ends of said spiralpassages, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed .our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM BONBRIGHT KENNEDY. HENRY TOWNSEND IIOOPES.

Witnesses:

WM. W. WILSON, A. C. TOWNSEND.

